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1.Non-Functional Issues: Determine what you do not like about your bathroom currently. Is the shower too small? Vanity not functional? Vanity too low? Not enough lighting? Water pressure? Ventilation? Drainage? Be sure that your remodel plan resolves the non-functional issues with your current bath.

2.Safety: Consider the safety of your bathroom. Stepping in and out of wet areas are trip hazards. As we get older, that last thing you want is a broken hip on a bathroom floor. Hand grab bars are looking better all the time, they are inexpensive and double as towel bars. Choose tiles that have grip for your floors. Also, electrical shock prevention: Plugs need to be GFI protected. Also new codes require 20 amp vac dedicated circuits for each bath. Who wants the toaster to blow when the curling iron is turned on?

3.Mixture of Media: Wood-Tile-Stone-Metals-Glass-Mirror: When combined right they offer dazzle to the eye. It's OK to Google up images of bath pics. You are not plegarizing! Get ideas and inspiration from other projects completed. Study these pics on line to determine your taste in woods, tile, stone, metal, glass, mirror.

4. Theme: Bath design works better when you have a theme. I hear too often, "We want to update our bath." This is the translation: "We have no idea what we want, we have no theme, but we are sick and tired of this bathroom!" Wanting a change is a great start, but you will want some punch for your spent money. So start imagineering. Bathrooms are typically small spaces that can boast big on a theme. The small room delivers a design punch when the theme is conclusive, well thought out, deliberate and delivered. We like using the same tile on floors and walls which delivers a huge statement through tile. We will tile over 2-3 walls-floor to ceiling. This is a great visual impact on 2-3 dimensions-horzontal floors and vertical multi-walls. For example we recently designed and remodeled a 5x9 bath: bamboo floors, multi-colored slate on two walls wrapping the tub-shower, new 36" height vanity with bamboo inset in recessed doors, black granite top, larger mirror at vanity, 2-pendant lights over vanity, two recessed lights over shower, vessel sink and faucet. The floor-to-ceiling multi-colored slate delivers a dramatic huge punch when walking into this small bath giving a larger than life feel. This bath was for two teenage boys. The theme was a manly bath with jungle woods, and polished accents. I will try to get some pics to add later when i learn how to add pics!

January 2, 2015 is right around the corner. We have had an unusual number of requests for quotes for remodeling for "next" year. Well "next year" is just around the corner. January 2, 2015 may be a landslide of interest for new projects. We have had more than usual requests for room additions. Also there is more interest in kitchen cabinet refinishing, a.k.a "updating" rather that full kitchen remodels. We have a new refinish team on board to handle the load. Kitchen colors interest is either Newport all-white or darker coffee tones. There is new interest in the ultra-modern look with slab doors finished in laminate or aluminum framed glass doors. Our newest sample ring has 408 colors and now there are textured colors to choose from. For the budget kitchen remodel, our line of RTB cabs (ready to build) is doing well. Our warehouse in Rancho Cucamonga has 11 mini kitchens on display. So, if you are planning on pulling the trigger on a remodeling project in January, you may find your contractor suddenly swamped with all the new business that was put on hold October through December. Happy New Year and Happy Remodeling!

Are you wrestling with the idea of remodeling for the holidays? There are only a few projects that you should consider. Since the holidays are busy times for both home owner and contractors, there is ample opportunity for delays, miscommunications, parts not showing up as ordered and other stressors. A home owner should only consider non-intrusive remodeling were the work is surface such as replacing a floor, countertops, new window shutters. These types of jobs require only a day or two of crews on site.

If your job requires multiple trades on the jobsite such as plumber, electrician, drywall, you are asking for trouble during the holidays. These guys all have to be scheduled, materials have to be available and on site to produce results in a timely fashion. Better to hold off on intrusive projects until January especially is you have to order materials such as sinks, faucets, or even cabinets. Don’t be fooled by promises of delivery especially from the big box stores. Every large company has downsized and is under staffed. And they are hiring cheaper unskilled workers at every opportunity. So the margin for error is up.

So shop early for Christmas, plan ahead, allows time for traffic. Plan a stress free holiday. If you wanted that new kitchen in by Christmas to impress the relatives at Christmas dinner, it may be too late. You may have time for pre-fab kitchen remodeling. That’s about it. Remodeling is already stressful for most people. Why add that to the stressful weeks ahead of planning for the holidays? You can always buy some trick faucets, wrap them up and give a presents too. Merry Christmas to all!!!

A Kitchen remodel can be a life changing experience or a walk through hell itself. Doing a little preplanning can make all the difference: Here are four tips from the experts here at Kitchen & Bath Werks.

1. When designing your kitchen, first ask yourself this question, “ what do I hate about my kitchen?” Be honest with yourself and write down what comes to mind. You can also ask other family members the same question. This gives you an inventory of what the new kitchen will NOT have and a checklist of design priorities.

2. Second, ask yourself what you want your kitchen to do for you when finished. Make a list. When answering this question, think of different scenarios for kitchen use, such as: holidays, entertaining, breakfast, lunch, dinner, snacks, or having a few friends over for orderves before a movie. This exersize will give you another list of design elements.

3. Imagineer for awhile. Think as if there were no financial constraints. What could be done with your kitchen? Can walls be pushed out? Can the ceilings be raised? Can you fit a double oven? How about a wood fired pizza oven? A barrister bar for an espresso machine? Special lighting? A separate beverage cooler? Once you have exhausted all possible design elements, you can pare down the project to fit a specific budget. At the start, dream big. Consider all your possibilities at the start so you will have no regrets in the end.

4. Consider your budget. Consumer Reports published an article on kitchen remodeling. They calculated the average kitchen remodel in America costs $47,000.

Here at Kitchen & Bath Werks, we have seen remodels as low as $3,000 and as high as $85,000. Most people only remodel one kitchen in their lifetime. So you can budget along the lines of, “we are only going to do this once” or “set an amount and don’t let yourself go over. We see often people blow their budget on appliances. Then they have to go cheap on their kitchen cabinets and construction. Also, it’s good to know that whatever money you put into your home through kitchen remodels, you will get it back when you eventually sell your house. In the mean time, you get to use the kitchen you designed to your liking and when it was brand new. Some one else eventually pays for your kitchen remodel!